Footrest



H. C. STOLL Oct. 10, 1939.

FOOT REST Filed April 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR HENRY C. $7'0l1.

BY AT RNEY H. C. STOLL Oct. 10, 1939.

FOOT REST Filed April 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BNVENTOR HENRY CI 5704;BY

Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOTREST ApplicationApril '7, 1938, Serial No. 200,638

1 Claim.

The invention here disclosed relates to foot rests.

Objects of the invention are to provide a comfortable support for thefeet, which can be easily immediately adjusted to the desired height andinclination, which will form a desirable article of furniture and whichwill be of such construction that when fully lowered, it will offerv noobstruction to a person stepping over the same.

The foregoing and other desirable objects are attained in this inventionby the novel features of construction, combinations and relations ofparts hereinafter defined, illustrated in the accompanying drawings andbroadly covered in the claim.

The drawings illustrate several different forms of the invention. Itwill be realized, however, that the structure may be further modifiedand changed all within the true intent and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. l is an end view of an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional detail of the ratchet holdingmechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detached detail view of one of the ratchet members.

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged broken sectional detail illustratingmodifications of the ratchet mechanism and the cushion supporting means.

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view on a plane at right angles to that ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a broken sectional detail of another form of ratchet means.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device consists broadly of a standor base construction having spaced uprights H], which are connected onlyat the bottom as indicated at H, and to the upper separated ends ofwhich there are pivoted at i2, arms or levers I3, to the free ends ofwhich are pivotally connected at M, a foot or lower leg supporting pador cushion l5.

Special ratchet mechanism is provided for holding the cushion carryingarms in various positions of vertical adjustment.

As shown in Fig. 3, such ratchet mechanism may consist of face ratchets,in the form of companion ratchet discs, with one pair 16, secured at IT,in seats l8, in the ends of the arm l3, and the other pair I9, similarlysecured at 20, in seats 2|, in the inner faces of the uprights H1. Thefirst mentioned ratchet discs l6, have central pivot studs 22,swivelling in the ratchet discs I9. Springs 23, on the outer endportions of the pivot studs and engaged between the backs of ratchetdiscs I 9, and flanged screws 24, engaged in the ends of the studsoperate to draw the pivoted ends of the arms against the uprights I0,thus to hold the ratchet teeth of the discs fully engaged. These teethhowever are shallow enough to slip 5 over each other in the liftingdirection of the arms in Fig. 1, the uprights springing slightly apartin permitting such ratcheting movement. The outer ends of the springheld pivot studs may be covered over by ornamental caps, such as in- 10dicated at 25.

The pad 15 need be only large enough to comfortably support the lowerlegs, it being known that the greatest ease and actual rest is attainedwith the feet actually projecting over the edge of 15 the cushion, sothat the weight of the legs does not come on the heels. This enables arelatively small, that is, a quite short and narrow cushion to beemployed and the entire structure therefore to be of a convenientlysmall size. The unconnect- 20 ed condition of the sides of the standleaves clear space above the pad for the feet and lower legs, through awide range of vertical adjustment. Because of the possibility ofutilizing the full range of vertical adjustment, the levers or sup- 25porting arms 13, can be quite short, providing as they do a verticalrange of adjustment equivalent to double their length.

The pad I5 is shown as hung by end brackets 26, pivoted to the arms atM, on centers above the 30 center of gravity of the pad, so that the padwill normally swing down as indicated and adjust itself automatically tothe incline of the legs, which may be slanting downward with the padlow, horizontal in an intermediate position or actually 5 slantingupward with the cushion raised in the upper range of support.

The cushion may be raised to any desired level by a simple liftingmovement, the ratchet catching and holding at any desired point ofadjust- 40 ment. Lowering of the cushion is readily effected by simplyswinging it upward over and beyond the top center from which position itmay lower by gravity or be easily forced downward to the extreme lowposition indicated in broken lines, 45 Fig. 1. In this lowered relation,the supporting cushion is down out of the way and if still left inposition in front of the chair of the user, may be readily stepped overthrough the clear space between the uprights. 50

To avoid the necessity of swinging the cushion all the way over thefront of the stand to lower it, releasing means may be provided for theratchet holding devices. A construction of this design is illustrated inFigs. 5 and 6, where sepa- 55 ration of the ratchet discs is effected bysimply swinging the cushion to a certain releasing position.

In Figs. 5 and 6, the construction of the ratchet mechanism is modifiedto the extent of mounting the second ratchet member 19a, slidingly on asquared portion 21, of the flanged hub 28, in which the pivot studengages, said ratchet disc being forced toward the companion disc bysprings 29, and under control of a cam ring 30, rotatably engaged on thecylindrical end portion 3|, of the same hub. When the high portion ofthis cam ring is engaged with the abutment pins 32, as in Fig. 5, theratchet disc l9a, will be forced back out of engagement with thecompanion ratchet I60. When however, .fthe cam ring is turned so thatthe low portions 33, are opposite the abutment pins 32, the springs 29will hold the movable ratchet disc in engagement with the ratchet discon the cushion carrying arm I3. The position of the cam ring iscontrolled in the present illustration by pins 34, carried by thestationary ratchet disc Ilia, projecting toward the cam ring in positionto engage radially extending pins 35, on that ring. It will be clearfrom Fig. 6 that by swinging the cushion in one direction, for instance,to the full top position, the cam rings can be turned far enough toengage the high points of the same with the abutment pins 32, to thrustback the movable ratchets, thus to free the cushion from the ratchetcontrol and permit it to be lowered. Then by fully lowering the cushionor possibly swinging it past the fully lowered position, the other pins35, on the cam rings may be engaged by pins 34, to swing the cam ringsback into position for the low portions to engage pins 32, releasing themovable ratchets and again placing the device under ratchet controlwhere the cushion will be automatically caught and held supported in anydesired position of vertical adjustment.

Other forms of holding ratchets may be employed, such as the spring wraptype indicated in Fig. '7, and comprising in each instance, a helicalspring 36, anchored at 31, to the swivel plate 38, on the supporting arml3, and adapted to rotate freely about the pivot stud 39, on thesupporting pedestal ID, as the arm is raised and to frictionally holdwith a wrapping engagement as the arm starts to lower. Devices of thistype therefore will enable the supporting cushion to be raised to anydesired level and to be held at such levels.

To more fully brace the supporting arms, they may be connected at theirfree ends by a rigid stay-rod such as shown at 40, in Figs. 5 and 6, andwhich rod then forms a pivot mounting for the cushion.

The spring wrap form of ratchet is particularly simple, compact andsilent in operation. Various other forms of ratchet supports may beprovided.

The structure is of particularly simple and sturdy design and such ascan be made up into attractive, desirable articles of furniture.

What is claimed is:

An adjustable foot rest of the character disclosed, comprising incombination a stand having spaced uprights connected only at the bottom,arms pivotally connected with the upper ends of said uprights, a legsupporting pad pivotally hung on the free ends of said arms, cooperatingface ratchets attached to said arms and uprights, one set of saidratchets separable from the companion ratchets and cam means governed bythe swinging movement of said arms for effecting separation andre-engagement of said ratchets.

HENRY C. STOLL.

